1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to residential and commercial electrical wiring systems and the manner in which it connects wires to termination devices within the confines of a junction box, and eliminates the need for an electrician to install receptacles while on his/her knees.
The same apparatus is used for receptacles, switches, lights, timers, radios, and other electrical components, which are used with a simple unplug/plug in system.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Using the standard electrical code practices, involves in using wires to connect a power source to electrical components via junction boxes. These junction boxes are used for two primary purposes. One purpose is to have access to the circuit at different points in the building. The other purpose is to attach electrical components such as; receptacles switches, lights, or other components to the circuit. The typical junction box has six surfaces. The top, bottom, two sides, back and front, but only three useable sides for wire entry purposes.
The unusable sides include.
(1) The front, the termination device sits in the front.
(2) You cannot use the back because there is no room in a standard 2×4 wall.
(3) Then there's the one side attached to the wall stud, using a nailing flange.
That only leaves the top, bottom, and one side of the junction box for wire entry. This observation is critical when comparing prior art.
Since there are only three sides available for wire entry purposes, no significance, compared to prior art, should be made in my view, when any application with wires entering thru the top, side, or bottom are listed. The internal components and how they work are, in my view, the important factors.
While it is not necessary for a patent application to be electrical code compliant, it is necessary for someone skilled in the art to know enough electrical code to do the specific work he/she is working on.
As anyone skilled in the art knows, the national electrical code requires all wires to enter a junction box, through a punch-out opening, and exit the front of the junction box. It also dictates the wire length must be at least 4-6 inches beyond the from opening of the junction box, for the installation of a termination device.
Another requirement of the national electrical code, is that all devices must have the potential to be removed without removing or damaging the wall board. These rules are known to anyone skilled in the art. Non-adherence to these rules, make for a very short career.
U.S. Pat. No. 9,583,929 to MOSS, is a perfect example of how not to install electrical components. His wire connections are on or near the exterior walls of his junction box. His connectors are viewable outside of the junction box, therefore are exposed (and they are electrically charged). What's to stop insulation and other construction debris from entering the junction box? If his buses bend or break while changing a termination device, and are therefore not making a good connection, it must be removed, and a new one installed. First problem, the components are attached to the box. Second, he'll probably have to maneuver the very small wires connected to the set screw connectors with a long nose pliers and compromise the plastic coating on the wires.
Unfortunately, for MOSS he took the wrong path. He chose not to make a HUB or junction device, a part of his plan. He's even proud of it! He Boasts in: “(0020) Yet another feature of the pluggable electrical receptacle and universal wall box, and methods of use thereof, is the ability to avoid the use of a junction device(s) between the universal wall box and pluggable electrical receptacles, whether switch, receptacle (pin or blade style), fan switch, dimmer, decorative switch, wireless switch, occupancy sensor switch, or the like.”
The present invention and MOSS's device couldn't be more different.
1. First and most important is Moss doesn't have a Hub or Junction device, as mentioned above.
2. MOSS DOESN'T have a hub, MOSS's connectors are ATTACHED to the Box, VERSES connectors in HUB. MOSS's (0028) reads: “power terminals integral to an exterior of one or more box surfaces . . . ”
3. MOSS has wires just BARELY long enough to just get inside the box, VERSES much longer wires, according to code.
4. MOSS has EXPOSED (electrically charged) set screw connectors, VERSES set screws safely deep inside the hub.
5. MOSS has only one independent power line going in, and that SAME line going out, (Only one circuit breaker in the panel). The present invention could have three, with this model, and with other models, it could have more. The wires are HELD in the HUB, connected or not connected, it's up to the installer.6. Is MOSS's device UNIVERSAL? It can work for basic switches and receptacles. However, the present invention, in addition to the basics, can handle 3 way and 4 way switches, even a split receptacle where the top half can be a 15 amp line and the bottom half a 20 amp line, at the SAME time, with different breakers in the panel box. It can be a 220 receptacle, it can be a receptacle using a #6 or #8 wire.7. MOSS has a wireless switch and wireless device. The costs involved must be high. The method used today is to wire a switch in a box, then run that line to a receptacle. The box is $1.00, a receptacle $0.50, a cover plate $0.25, total $1.75, a lot less than a wireless system.
In U.S. Pat. No. 6,617,511 to SCHULTZ, wires go directly thru the side(rear) of box and into the hub from the wall cavity. If the wall were finished, you could not take out the hub. Any one skilled in the art would say, it will not pass inspection, therefore I can't install it. SCHULTZ has no means of disconnection the wires. Even if he did, he hasn't enough room or long enough wires to reconnect a new device.
In addition, SCHULTZ uses different embodiments for switches and receptacles, which makes it application specific.
You must get down on your knees to install his device.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,958,048 to BELL, has identical problems. In addition, like all prior art, electrical connections are made inside the hub, unlike the present invention. No prior art allows two different sized wires to be used at the same time, like the present invention. You must get down on your knees to install BELL'S device.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,843,680 to GORMAN, explains on page 13, line 21 thru 24, his device can have four #14 wires OR two #12 wires, but it becomes a permanent/non-reversible change. GORMAN does not disclose any port configuration that is universal and capable of receiving both switches and receptacles. The installation process is typical, on your knees, wire THRU the box, connections made in the front of the box, then pushed in, after pushing in the wires.